New Orleans blues


French Quarter blues and jazz street performers offer daily music reviews

New Orleans in the birthplace of jazz, so it’s not surprising that the city remains a very musical place. Bands play in bars and restaurants throughout the city, which is known for its laissez faire attitude and wild nightlife.

New Orleans blues photography

Street performers like this trumpet player are common on the streets of French Quarter, playing New Orleans blues for tips.

However, you don’t have to wait until the sun goes down to enjoy some incredible music. That’s because bands set up each morning turning the streets of the French Quarter into a musical tour.

Blues and jazz are the meat and potatoes of the offerings, but there also are folk singers playing along Bourbon Street and the surrounding area. Many of the bands seem to have claimed specific spots, with some setting up daily between the famed Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, while others can be found on specific corners of Bourbon and Royal streets.

Instrumentals are most common, but there are also singers who sound like famous blues man Louis Armstrong and other unique voices that give the city music scene such rich diversity.

This trumpet player was part of a three-man ensemble playing outside the famous Cafe Du Monde just steps from Jackson Square.

And no matter where the bands are set up, they provide passing tourists musical entertainment for nothing more than tips.

Click here to see the entire New Orleans gallery of images.


About Andy Crawford

Andy Crawford has been a photographer and writer for more than 20 years, with thousands of images and articles published in magazines and newspapers around the country. He now focuses on Louisiana photography, landscapes, HDR photography, urban prints and other fine art photography. He also is a portrait photographer.